The present invention relates to tape cartridge or cassette loading and unloading devices for tape recorders and tape players. More particularly, it relates to loading and unloading devices that automatically eject the tape cartridge or cassette when the tape recorder or player loses electric power.
Recently, it has become popular to equip automobiles with cassette players and recorders, tape machines, which automatically start to play when the cassette tape is inserted. To facilitate cassette insertion, the player or recorder is often provided with an automatic intake mechanism which pulls a manually, partially inserted cassette into the final loaded position. Such a device is disclosed in Yasuo Sami's U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,859 issued Jan. 31, 1978.
Generally, an automobile has a main electric power switch switched on and off by the turning of a key inserted to start the automobile. When the main switch is on, electricity is supplied from a source, for example, a battery, to the tape machine allowing operation. If the automobile's main switch is turned off during play, the cassette normally remains held in the play position with only the tape machine's motor being cut off. In such a situation, a pinch roller provided for transmitting the motor's drive to the tape remains tightly held in contact with a capstan. This has the disadvantage that the pinch roller may become so deformed that afterwards, when play is resumed, there will be unacceptable wow in the tape machine's reproduced signal. Further, that portion of the tape slightly held between one of the cassette reels and the pinch roller and capstan junction during power cut-off may be undesirably permantly stretched.
To prevent such disadvantages, it is preferable to employ an automatic eject mechanism in the player or recorder. However, it has been difficult to employ both the automatic intake mechanism and the automatic eject mechanism in one player or recorder since the direction of pulling the cassette by the automatic intake mechanism is opposite to that by the automatic eject mechanism.